A critical need exists for an image processor in the commercial printing arena with the ability to create a job template for constructing multiple, customized images. Additionally, commercial image processing software packages, such as Photoshop(copyright), have limited ability to render the output image optimized for the output device. Typically, color correction and simple resolution conversion is all that may be applied. Additionally, in typical commercial image processing software, the ability to edit the list of image processing operations performed by the operator is also very limited. Typical commercial software also does not allow for the optimization of image processing. That is, once an image is created, the ability to combine operations and increase performance on high resolution imagery is lost. Significantly, a critical need exists for software which enables attributes such as the size, location, and angle of objects within an image to be altered at the time the image is rendered. The present invention includes these advantages as well as the ability to change the syntax of the Structured Image Definition Language (SIDL), the ability to change image processing systems, potential optimization of image processing, and the ability to apply any or all constraints as desired.
Commercially available image development and management packages in use today require considerable memory to operate. For example, Adobe Photoshop(copyright) stores three copies of the full size raster during interactive editing. Thus, a typical 24-bit color image (8xc2xdxc3x9711 at 300 dpi) can require 24 megabytes of memory for each image copy. Commercial software often exhibits sluggish to poor performance when editing large imagery. Again, available software products must store, as discussed above, three copies of the image (no matter how large it is). Since every interactive operation processes the full image, performance is extremely slow. Further, typical commercial software stores output imagery as complete rasters. Therefore, for each new version of an image, a complete raster must be written out and you cannot undo the operations contained in those versions. At 24 megabytes per image, as discussed above, disk requirements can be extensive. Also, archiving such imagery can require extensive storage space as well.
A Structured Image (SI) describes a raster image as a collection of rasterizable objects and image processing operations. Structured Images are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,568 to Venable et al. issued Jan. 16, 1996, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. Briefly, the component objects are store din native formats which enables the editing of the image and objects. Structured Images provide a flexible and extensible means to describe how an image is created as opposed to what the result looks like. The notion of variable data imaging is supported through a mechanism called xe2x80x9cdelayed binding.xe2x80x9d Objects are defined as placeholders during the creation of the Structured Image. At render time, the placeholders are bound to real data through a database access or other means. In many cases, certain aspects of an object or its image processing must depend upon the nature of the object itself and/or other objects in the same Structured Image.
The present invention describes the notion of themes developed for photofinshing production systems which provide a means by which background images, page templates, and signatures that define a custom photo representation such as a photo album can be encapsulated. Specifically, with one aspect the invention a customer is allowed to select a document type to print with the customers photos, such as calendars, school picture packs, photo albums, event books, etc.
The following disclosures may be relevant to aspects of the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,248 to Kanno issued May 19, 1987 discloses a document image editing device that includes a page memory device and a display device. The page memory device stores in different areas thereof document images to be edited, image information (parts) of the cut partial image regions, and a pasteboard image for pasting the cut partial images. The display device displays the document images to be edited and the cut partial images in different display regions. The image editing is performed under the control of a CPU. In the cutting mode, partial images cut from the document images displayed on the display device are stored in memory locations of the corresponding areas of the memory device and are displayed at positions in the corresponding regions of the display device. In the pasting mode, the pasting positions of the cut partial images on the pasteboard are designated. The image information of the partial images is stored in the designated memory locations of the corresponding memory areas of the memory device and is displayed on the pasteboard on the display device. The pasteboard image on which the partial images are pasted in a desired layout is registered in a document image memory or printed out by a printer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,013 to Dunn et al. issued Mar. 14, 1989 discloses an interactive rule based system which enables problem solutions to be generated in schematic diagram form. A methodology designer selects and arranges graphic primitives using a graphics terminal to create a library of icons. Under control of a computer processor, the methodology designer is prompted to identify, by way example, parameters for using each icon. The system generates and stores a specific set of rules pertaining to the use of each icon on the basis of the parameters identified. The stored rules are cross-referenced to the icon to which they pertain, so that whenever the icon is selected by a problem solving user for use in building a problem solution, the rules pertaining thereto will be accessed and applied. A methodology designer can also select and concatenate functions to each other and to icons to create more complex functions for use in building problem solutions. New functions can also be created in the form of truth tables which establish a transfer function across an icon. By accessing and selecting icons and functions created by a methodology designer, a problem solving user can build a solution to a problem by graphically coupling the icons and functions together on a chart.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,976 to Wexelblat et al. issued Jun. 4, 1991 discloses a method and system for generating dynamic, interactive visual representations of information structures within a computer which enable humans to efficiently process vast amounts of information. The boundaries of the information system containing the information to be processed are established and a set of mathematical relationships is provided which indicates the degree of correlation between parameters of interest to a user and segments of information contained within the boundaries. A visual display is generated for the user which has a plurality of different iconic representations and visual features corresponding to the parameters defined by the mathematical relationships. The iconic representations and visual features of the visual display change with the movement of the mathematical relationships within the boundaries of the information system according to the degree of correlation between the parameters of interest and the segment of information through which the mathematical relationships are passing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,388 to Motoyama et al. issued Oct. 4, 1994 discloses a document processing system controls the printing of documents represented in page description language form. Documents are represented by a page description language which is structured so that definition and declaratory commands are positioned only at the beginning of each distinct document segment. Each document has prologue sections, which contain definition and declaratory commands, and content portions which contain the specific tokens or commands for defining specific images. The definition and declaratory commands in the prologue sections of the document are arranged in a hierarchical tree so that each definition and declaratory command has a scope corresponding to the portion of the hierarchical tree subtended by that command. A structure processor handles resource declaration and definitions, dictionary generation, context declarations and references to data external to the document. A content processor processes the tokens using the definitions and declarations set up by the structure processor, and an imaging driver module translates the document into commands suitable for any of several types of printers, as well as for communication by telephone line to a remote device. One feature of the document processing system is the ability to query a remote device to determine whether it has the resources required for processing a document transmitted in a high level encoded form. It then either transmits the document in rasterized bit map form if the required resources are not available, or transmits the document in a higher level encoded form if the required resources are available.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,900 to Blanchard et al. issued May 16, 1995 discloses a presentation manager including a module for representing a graphical object on a page, the graphical object having a size and a placement on said page; a module for representing a container object that is associated with the page, the container object having a set of specified characteristics; a module for dragging the graphical object to another location on the page; and a module for linking the graphical object to the container object when the graphical object is dragged into the container object, wherein the linking module creates an active link to the container object when the graphical object is dragged into the container object, wherein the active link imposes the set of specified characteristics on the graphical object.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,568 to Venable et al. issued Jan. 16, 1996, discloses a method and device for describing a complex color raster image as a collection of objects in a hierarchical and device independent format. The purpose of structured imaging (SI) is to expand the scope of a raster image to a collection of individually manipulable component objects. An SI is a hierarchical description of a single output image raster which may be used as one component of a page in a structured document. Objects contributing to the output raster may originate from text, graphics, other rasters or a combination thereof, and all maintain their heritage for selectability and modification. The SI describes not only the source data but also the image processing operations required for rendering the output raster. SI technology supports re-editability, customization and enhancement, automatic image assembly and high performance imaging. Thus, such a model has implications not only in an image editing and processing arena, but also in the filing and printing services used for image handling.
J. Schonhut, H. Wiedling and V. Samara, xe2x80x9cConstructive Page Description,xe2x80x9d IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications Journal, March 1991, pages 71-78.
J. Andre, R. Furuta and V. Quint, xe2x80x9cStructured Documentsxe2x80x9d Cambridge Series on Electronic Publishing, 1989.
Yoshimoto et al., xe2x80x9cInteractive Iconic Programming Facility in Hi-Visualxe2x80x9d, IEEE Computer Society Workshop on Visual Languages, pp. 34-41, June 25-27,1986.
Ichikawa et al., xe2x80x9cVisual Programming-Toward Realization of User-Friendly Programming Environmentsxe2x80x9d, ACM and IEEE Computer Society Fall Joint Computer Conference, pp. 129-137, 1987.
Hirakawa et al., xe2x80x9cA Generic Model for Constructing Visual Programming Systemsxe2x80x9d, IEEE Workshop on Visual Languages, pp. 124-129, 1989.
Smith, xe2x80x9cBuilding Interfaces Interactivelyxe2x80x9d, Proceedings of the ACM Siggraph, Symposium on User Software, October 17,1988, pp. 144-151.
Wyvill, xe2x80x9cSpace Division for Ray Tracing in CSGxe2x80x9d, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 28-34, April 1986.
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All of the references cited herein are incorporated by reference for their teachings.
The invention provides a method and system for developing image themes with the use of an electronic structured image generator, including: means for generating a representation of at least one raster image using at least one output structured image capable of being displayed and printed, the at least one output structured image being generated as a result of performing at least one image processing operation on at least one structured image object; means for constructing and displaying at least one structured image, the structured image comprising a pasteboard having at least one adjustable image attribute, the at least one adjustable image attribute being dynamically configurable based upon a nature of the attribute, the pasteboard representing a frame onto which the at least one structured image object is rendered, and a structured image definition that describes a structured image formation process used to generate the at least one structured image, the structured image definition including at least one interconnected image processing operation performed on the at least one structured image object and merged to form the at least one output structured image; means for controlling the generating means and for controlling the constructing and displaying means to form and modify the structured image definition including the at least one adjustable image attribute of the pasteboard, wherein the means for generating at least one output structured image in response to the structured image definition, including the at least one adjustable image attribute of the pasteboard, generated by the structured image constructing and displaying means is controlled by the means for controlling so as to generate the at least one output structured image; and means for at least one of displaying and printing the at least one output structured image in response to at least one of computer program instructions and operator inputted commands.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a process for electronically generating a representation of at least one raster image using structured images, which includes the steps of selecting at least one structured image object stored in a memory to be rendered onto a pasteboard, the pasteboard including at least one adjustable image attribute, the adjustable image attribute being dynamically configurable based upon a nature of the attribute, the at least one structured image object and the pasteboard defining at least one output structured image to be generated by a generation device; selecting at least one image processing operation to be performed on the at least one structured image object to form at least a portion of a structured image definition used to generate the at least one output structured image; generating the at least one output structured image in accordance with the at least one adjustable image attribute of the pasteboard; and at least one of displaying and printing the at least one output structured image responsive to at least one of computer program instructions and operator inputted commands.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a process for constructing a representation of at least one raster image using at least one output structured image, wherein the at least one output structured image comprises at least one structured image object that is rendered onto a pasteboard having at least one adjustable image attribute, the at least one structured image object being contained within a structured image definition, the structured image definition including at least one interconnected image processing operation performed on the at least one structured image object that is merged onto the pasteboard to form the at least one output structured image, the process including the steps of defining the at least one adjustable image attribute of the pasteboard; selecting the at least one structured image object stored in a memory to be rendered onto the pasteboard and a component of the at least one output structured image to be generated by a generating device; selecting at least one image processing operation to be performed on the at least one structured image object to form at least a portion of the structured image definition used to generate the at least one output structured image; dynamically configuring the adjustable image attribute based upon a nature of the attribute; generating the at least one output structured image by performing the at least one image processing operation on the at least one structured image object according to the structured image definition including the at least one adjustable image attribute of the pasteboard; and at least one of displaying and printing the at least one output structured image responsive to at least one of computer program instruction and operator inputted commands.
Other advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, disclose the preferred embodiments of the invention.